John Force Makes The Call For Team Swap With Hight

Column By: JOHN DOUGLAS / RPW – BROWNSBURG, IN – The all-time winner in NHRA Funny Car competition and 17-time Funny Car Champion John Force made an executive decision this week along with team president Robert Hight. The two men will switch teams beginning at the Gatornationals in Gainesville, FL.

The two teams will swap nearly man-to-man, meaning Crew Chiefs will also change. Jimmy Prock will move from Force’s team to Hight’s while Jon Schaffer and Jason McCulloch will join Force’s Peak-sponsored machine.

Starting as a long haul trucker in the 70’s, Force has amassed 147 event wins in one of the most storied drag racing careers in history.

The fast-talking man, in his own words said in his statement, “I never do anything on the spur of the moment. I take days to think it out. But after doing a show for PEAK in Phoenix, for Chevrolet in Chicago and talking to Austin Coil, I had some time to think. My race cars are moving ahead. They’re running big numbers, but we’re still trying to find that consistency.”

Force added, ” I went to the shop in Brownsburg and met with the teams and all the guys in the machine shop, the fab shop and the paint shop. I looked at the pictures on the wall, looked at Jimmy Prock and Robert Hight in victory lane photos. I looked at pictures of me and Jimmy Prock. I looked at pictures of me and Mike Neff. I looked at pictures of me and Jon Schaeffer and Jason McCulloch and, all of a sudden, it just felt right.

Force said he went home and slept on the decision. It still felt right.

The other JFR teams are slated to remain intact, with no changes to Courtney Force’s Advance Auto Parts-sponsored Funny Car team or her sister Brittany’s team in Top Fuel.

The NHRA Gatornationals from Gainesville, FL will take place March 17-19, with Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro stock divisions in action.